My Japanese reading comprehension isn’t what it used to be, so I depended on a comparison between Google Translation and Babel Fish to find my way through this story.

A Japanese Harry Potter fansite appear to have captured lots and lots (and, yeah, lots) of new images from the upcoming Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. I think there’s a new Japanese TV spot for the film – which I can’t so far find an even half working version of – and they seem to have looted it for screen captures. The website has asked that visitors don’t steal their pictures, which seems fair enough, so I can’t really put any here. You’ll have to take a trip over and endure the sometimes slow loading times if you want to see them. All the same, I think this is a worthwhile link because I don’t know how many of the /Film faithful also trawl Japanese websites looking for scoops.

There was something interesting that caught my eye, when looking at the caps…

During the celebrity intro, which seems mandatory for Japanese trailers, the screen features a wee badge in the corner declaring quite loudly and proudly that Steve Kloves has written the screenplay for this new, sixth film. You may recall that he’d taken The Order of the Phoenix off, having penned all of the earlier installments. Now he’s being touted as the writer of the final two films, which will adapt the last book, as well as the already completed Prince. Sure seems like he’s a key selling point, at least to Japanese Pottermaniacs.

So, did Potter fans not like Andrew Walsh’s work on The Order of the Phoenix? Any of you out there who can fill me in on how you felt about that film’s screenplay? And are you happy to have Kloves back?

I’ve always been curious if hardcore Potterphiles have rushed out to pick up copies of The Wonder Boys, The Fabulous Baker Boys or Flesh and Bone, and just what they made of them.